Tiling above worktop

[wombats]

I am about to tile part of my kitchen above the worktop upstand. Do i need to leave a gap at the bottom or can i sit the tiles straight to the upstand? (It is all level)

 

[Chukka63]

ive never left a gap and had no problems but im sure the purists will say,yes,leave a gap.if the worktops are secured securely there shouldnt be a problem.

 

[lancenotalot]

Purists

I normally leave 1-2mm,especially behind the sink.

 

[wombats]

Thanks for both the replies but that still makes me undecided.

I normally leave 1-2mm,especially behind the sink.

Why behind the sink?

 

[roughcaster]

ive never left a gap and had no problems. if the worktops are secured securely there shouldnt be a problem.

Snap!!

 

[lancenotalot]

Thanks for both the replies but that still makes me undecided.

I normally leave 1-2mm,especially behind the sink.

Why behind the sink?

If you silicone with no gap and then it gets wet often there is a possibilty that it will come away,by leaving a gap it allows you to push the silicone into it and gives a better water tight seal.

 

[PaulTheTiler]

If you leave a gap (normal tile spacer is plenty) it means that if you need to replace the work top in future - you are less likely to damage any tiles during replacement

 

[Richard C]

Leave a 2mm gap & silicone. Grouting down to a worktop will always leave a crack in which all sorts of unhygienic nasties will fester; not big enough to provide a home for cockroaches but Silverfish will love living in there.

 

[wombats]

Thanks for the tips. I have decided to leave a tile spacer gap as suggested. I didn't really want to silicone the gap as i have black worktops and didn't really want white silicone.

 

[Richard C]

I have decided to leave a tile spacer gap as suggested. I didn't really want to silicone the gap as i have black worktops and didn't really want white silicone.

Yuk, that's even more unhygienic than using grout! I personally have both black worktops & black tiles & if you use a 2mm tile spacer the silicone, done properly, will look no different to a normal grout line; you don’t need a huge globbed bead along there!

 

[joe-90]

If you use clear silicone it will look dark grey.

 

[tictic]

mapei.co.uk...type this in...MAPESIL AC

fill your boots mate

26 colours of silicone to look thro.... .. well 27 if you include the transparent one..

 

[wombats]

Yuk, that's even more unhygienic than using grout

I didn't mean i was just going to leave the gap with nothing in it, (lol). I meant i didn't really want white in the gap.

If you use clear silicone it will look dark grey.

I may try that if nothing else works. Thanks

@ tictic

Thanks for the tip on Mapei silciones but where can i buy them from?

 

[skitzee2k]

Lots of places for mapei...C.T.D. or Tile Giant are the big places and there's bound to be one near you..There are also other brands like Bal that have anti bacterial qualities along with the choice of colour.

With the colour thing, try to go for the same colour as the grout after all it will be just another X colour line whereas if you introduce another colour you have that whole what 'colour black is it' deal.

 

[lancenotalot]

Have a look here http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;j...STHZOCFGA?_dyncharset=UTF-8&fh_search=mapesil